Perdue appoints Beasley to Supreme Court

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

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bev perdue, inside politics

and Associated Press

RALEIGH -- Gov. Bev Perdue appointed Cheri Beasley to the Supreme Court of North Carolina Wednesday. Beasley, who is currently a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson.

Timmons-Goodson announced last month she would retire Monday. She was the first African-American woman to serve on North Carolina's highest court.

"I am thrilled to appoint Cheri to our state's highest court." said Gov. Perdue. "She has excelled both as a District Court judge and as a judge on the Court of Appeals. She will make a superb justice on the Supreme Court."

Beasley was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2008. Before that, she served as a District Court judge in the 12th Judicial District from 1999 until 2008.

Before going on the bench, Beasley worked as an assistant public defender in Fayetteville for five years.

Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, who's been critical of Perdue distancing herself from the commission procedure, said in a statement the governor's method of decision-making overshadows "what should be a discussion of Judge Beasley's credentials." Perdue's office didn't immediately comment on Berger's statement.